Digital access expands in Cordillera as DICT rolls out 13,768 Bayanihan SIMs

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Residents and students across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are now enjoying improved digital connectivity as the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) rolls out Bayanihan SIM cards through the nationwide Bayanihan SIM Project (BSP).

The project provides 25 gigabytes of mobile data per month for twelve months. It targets enrolled students in public schools, school personnel, and verified beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in remote and marginalized areas.

According to DICT-CAR Regional Director Jimmicio Daoaten, in a report by the Philippine Information Agency–CAR, the region has been allocated 41,700 SIM cards. Of the total allocation, 8,340 SIM cards each are designated for the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao; Abra will receive 5,560; Benguet, 13,900; and Ifugao and Mountain Province, 2,780 cards each.

As of February 20, 2026, the agency has distributed 13,768 SIM cards, benefiting 102 schools with limited to no internet connectivity.

The remaining SIM card allocation is yet to be distributed.

Meanwhile, Daoaten added that the BSP complements the Free Public Internet Access Program. A total of 498 access point sites across the region are now providing free Wi-Fi services in 2025. These sites include public schools, barangay halls, and local government units.

In addition to the operational sites, DICT-CAR is targeting the installation of 1,490 more free Wi-Fi access points by the end of February 2026.

With the implementation of the Bayanihan SIM Project and the expansion of free Wi-Fi access, students and residents alike are expected to benefit from enhanced digital connectivity, strengthening access to more inclusive and digitally empowered education across the region.